The Ole Miss students targeted by three white women making monkey noises outside their apartment are speaking out. Jakiyra Metcalf, Kaiyden Caldwell and Victoria G. Johnson were home when the women were caught making racist noises and gestures on their Ring camera.
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Ole Miss Students Reveal What Happened Off Camera
The three Ole Miss students victimized by a racist incident at their home sat down for an interview with CBS Mornings‘ Jericka Duncan. On Wednesday, November 11, Jakiyra Metcalf, Kaiyden Caldwell and Victoria G. Johnson revealed what happened to them on Friday, November 6.
The students were home when three white women made monkey noises and gestures on their Ring camera. Metcalf shared the footage on TikTok, and it quickly went viral. One woman in the video — Alaina Kunes — has since apologized and the University of Mississippi has confirmed she is no longer a student. Kunes claimed in her statement that she didn’t know the women who lived in the apartment were Black.
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The Ole Miss students were asked to describe how they felt watching the footage, and Metcalf replied, “Hurt.” Caldwell replied, “Devastated.” Johnson said, “It was very disheartening.” Metcalf added that she and Johnson went outside to confront the three women, but monkey noises continued.
“We actually went outside and tried to like approach them, and like, have — get them, to like explain why they did that,” said Metcalf.
Johnson said that Kunes apologized.
“One girl was apologizing,” said Johnson. “She was like, ‘I’m sorry. We’ve did that to like four doors.’ And mind you, we didn’t see anyone else’s doors. It was just ours that was targeted. And she was like, ‘We didn’t mean any harm.”
However, Johnson revealed that the second woman on the video — who is reportedly the students’ neighbor — continued making noises.
“She continued to make the gestures after the girl was apologizing,” said Johnson. “It was like a slap in the face.”
When asked if she forgives Kunes, Metcalf replied: “I feel like no matter, like, who we are or if she knew our race or not, but the gestures and the noises, I feel like it still was very disrespectful,” said Metcalf. “I just have mixed feelings about it.”
Caldwell replied:
“I appreciate the apology, but I feel like it still doesn’t change what happened on that Friday, ‘cuz it’s still hurtful and it’s still devastating that someone would come to our camera and do that.”
White Women Make Monkey Noises Outside Black Neighbors’ Door
The Shade Room reported that three white women were recorded making monkey noises and gestures in front of their Black neighbors’ door. The women were caught on a Ring camera on their way out of the apartment complex, and Kunes looks directly at the camera as she pounds her chest. Kunes also says, “Ooo ooo ooo, ahh ahh ahh.” The second woman in the video also looks into the camera as she jumps up and down exclaiming, “Ooo ooo ooo.” A third woman is seen laughing as they walk off.
Alaina Kunes Apologizes For Making Racist Monkey Noises
The first woman in the video, Alaina Kunes, apologized after being caught making monkey noises outside the Ole Miss students’ front door, as reported by The Shade Room. Additionally, Kunes claimed she didn’t know the women were “of color.” Furthermore, she claimed she would never “intentionally made those noises” had she known. She is the first woman in the clip.
“To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize,” she wrote. “Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however, I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful. I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color. I have apologized to the women and I pray they will forgive me. I can never truly understand the pain I have caused them and it was never my intention. These girls deserve to feel seen and understood and what I did is not a reflection of who I am trying to become. Over the past several days, my family and I have received death threats and harassment. I am grateful for the authorities working to ensure our safety. As I intend to cooperate fully with the University’s investigation, I ask for privacy for my family. I understand the seriousness of this situation and remain committed to taking responsibility and learning from this embarrassing ordeal. – Alaina Kunes, 18 years old, Freshman, University of Mississippi.”
Meanwhile, the University of Mississippi confirmed that Kunes is no longer a student.
